54th MAY OPERA EVENINGS
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
SWAN LAKE
May 22, 2026, 8:00 PM
Conductor: Eduard Ambartsumyan (Armenia)
Choreographer: Viktor Yaremenko (Ukraine)
Set Designer: Andrey Zlobin (Ukraine)
Costume Designer: Ganna Ipatieva (Ukraine)
Rehearsal Coaches: Marija Kichevska Shokarovska, Vasil Chichiashvili, Aleksandra Mijalkova, Marija Josifovska Ristovska, Vladimir Borisov (Ukraine), Sasha Evtimova, Dafina Daniloska Kochevska, Biljana Basmadjieva Kovachevski
Concertmaster: Kliment Todoroski
Lighting Design: Milcho Aleksandrov
Stage Managers: Dubravka Shopova, Tijana Tarchugovska Georgieva
Accompanists: Marjan Vasilevski, Stefan Pehchevski
CAST:
ODETTE/ODILE: Olga Chelpanova (Russia)
PRINCE SIEGFRIED: Andrea Schifano (Italy)
ROTHBART: Dmytro Chebotar (Ukraine) / (Balázs Lőcsei – Hungary)
FEATURING: Soloists, the Ballet Ensemble, and the Orchestra of the National Opera and Ballet.
Swan Lake is a timeless love story depicting the eternal struggle between good and evil. A ballet in two acts. Libretto and musical edition by V. Yaremenko and A. Baklan; Choreographic fragments by L. Ivanov, M. Petipa, and F. Lopukhov.
SYNOPSIS
ACT I
Introduction Young Siegfried is deeply immersed in his dreams and fantasies of an imaginary girl in white. But she is only an illusion. Hoping to meet and fall in love with someone exactly like her, he falls asleep. Suddenly, a strange figure appears the evil sorcerer, Rothbart. Aware of the young man’s dreams, Rothbart decides to prove that true love is merely a fiction created by writers, poets, and artists. He orchestrates a reality where Siegfried will experience everything: respect, fame, wealth, love, betrayal, and remorse…
Scene I: The Castle Park The kingdom’s servants dance in the meadow. Noticing the young prince sleeping in the lodge, they are surprised; he is dressed in strange attire! Our young hero awakens. Where is he? Everything around him is unfamiliar and strange, yet everyone bows to him. His Tutor appears and questions him about his clothes. At any moment, his mother the Great Queen is expected to arrive!
It becomes clear: our hero is being mistaken for someone else specifically, the heir to the crown, Prince Siegfried! It appears to be a dream, but one so unexpected and pleasant that being a Prince, even briefly, is alluring and intriguing. The hero is dressed in royal garments. He meets the Queen for the first time; she kisses him tenderly and gifts him the family medallion. A joyous celebration continues in honor of Prince Siegfried’s coming of age. Invitations have been sent to distant kingdoms, and potential brides are already on their way. Tomorrow, he must choose the one who captures his heart. As dusk falls, he decides to head to the lake to hunt.
Scene II: The Lake The wicked Rothbart rejoices: everything is going according to his plan. He transforms young women into white swans, among them the beautiful Odette, to whom Siegfried must swear eternal love. At the lakeside, they meet. The Prince is captivated by the girl’s beauty and the tenderness of her soul. His heart trembles he is convinced he has found his true love.
ACT II
Scene III: The Palace Everything in the palace is prepared for the grand ceremony. The guests assemble, and the list of potential brides is set. Enchantingly beautiful princesses from various nations dance for Prince Siegfried. However, he cannot make a choice his heart belongs only to Odette. Suddenly, an uninvited candidate is announced. Rothbart has prepared another test: he presents the Black Swan, Odile Odette’s double. She is mesmerizingly beautiful and outshines everyone. Bewitched by her charms and casting aside all doubt, Siegfried swears eternal love to Odile. But as soon as the vow is spoken, the magic shatters. The Prince hears Odette’s cry and his heart desperately calls out for her. He realizes his grave mistake. Can his beloved ever forgive him? Panic ensues in the palace. Rothbart triumphs, knowing the worst for Siegfried is yet to come.
Scene IV: The Lake The lake is turbulent; a storm is brewing. Odette is restless, her soul in agony. Rothbart maintains control, waiting for Siegfried for the final, decisive test. Siegfried appears. He has broken his vow! He has betrayed his love and destroyed his own ideal!
He begs Odette for forgiveness, trying to explain that his consciousness was manipulated. He could never intentionally betray his love. The evil genius Rothbart rises before them. Siegfried finally realizes who this man truly is: both the swans and Odette are under his spell, and even he, Siegfried, is powerless against this dark force. Only his crossbow can stop the demon! Siegfried fires at Rothbart, but alas love has been betrayed, evil remains unpunished, and his beloved is dead. In utter despair, Siegfried finds no place for himself in this world. He chooses to be with Odette in the afterlife, sacrificing himself for love and throwing himself into the abyss after her…
Epilogue The first rays of the rising sun appear on the horizon… The evil sorcerer is disappointed: true love does exist if one is willing to sacrifice themselves for that sacred feeling. He ends the dream. The young man awakens… Was it all just a dream that vanished without a trace? No! His love and pursuit of ideals have not disappeared. Everything he experienced remains with him. As a reward, fate sends him a priceless gift. A girl appears before him the real one he has dreamed of all his life, the embodiment of Odette from his dream. She is the one he loves and admires! They run toward each other, toward their happiness. They have their dreams; they have their love. They have each other. “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…”
The Genius of Evil, Rothbart, watches them. He is powerful, but defeating true love is beyond his reach. While he cannot be destroyed, he can be conquered. Rothbart departs.